Several months ago, I was sitting on the front porch and sipping my black hot coffee watching a new housing project being built across the county road.

To my surprise, a dark shadow on the edge of the woods appeared beside my home. Was it a stray dog, a left over log from winter wood cutting? The hairs on the back of my neck started to raise as I got a closer look, and notice it was a small black bear.

Taken back by the wild animal, a million thoughts went through my mind. “What… How…. NO… “ Surprisingly the black bear disappeared into the woods with little to no noise. Like it never happened.

I started to do some research about Black Bears in Texas. According to the Texas Parks and WIldlife, Black Bears are mostly harmless (good to know) and are a threatened animal. No killing. There also have been a rise in bear sightings in Texas but mostly have been false sightings. But I really did see one.

Here are some tips if you find yourself in a bear situation: (thedodo.com)

• Don’t panic
• Make your presence known
• Don’t run away
• Don’t feed the bear
• DON’T TAKE A SELFIE WITH THE BEAR

As more and more houses are being built, the habitat of wildlife is shrinking smaller and smaller. Be a good steward of your property. Educate yourself about what wildlife is in your area and how to live in safety along with them. Wildlife is important in our ecosystem and provide great benefits to us humans.